Speaking at the handover of 49 houses at Mantheding Village outside Polokwane in Limpopo in July, Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale said the provision of bulk infrastructure remains one of the major challenges in delivering houses in rural areas.
Sexwale stressed, however, that this challenge did not mean that people in villages should be excluded from receiving houses.
“Government departments need to pull together all resources to make sure that the necessary infrastructure services are provided so that sustainable human settlements can become a permanent feature of the country’s rural landscape.
“Human settlements are not only about the provision of houses, but also about economic opportunities and access to schools, clinics and recreational facilities, among others,” the minister added.
Mantheding is one of the eight villages under the Polokwane Municipality to benefit from three hundred housing units being built at a cost of R18 million.
Limpopo MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Clifford Motsepe, said 85% of the province is rural and the province’s housing delivery strategy is focused on meeting the needs of rural citizens.
